“The sides will exchange views on priority issues relating to Russia-NATO relations and discuss the situation in Afghanistan in the context of the forthcoming NATO debates on the tasks and format of a new NATO mission after 2014,” the Russian Foreign Ministry press and information department said.

Lavrov and Rasmussen are also expected to discuss a schedule of political events of the Russia-NATO Council.

Lavrov will visit Brussels at the invitation of the European Union. He will participate in a third ministerial meeting on Northern Dimension.

On Tuesday, Lavrov will have a separate meeting with Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to discuss preparations for the forthcoming joint meeting of the governments of Russian and the European Commission.